The present invention relates to a new and improved anchor and to a new and improved method of using one or more anchors to secure a suture in body tissue.
A known anchor and method of securing a suture in body tissue is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,041,129 issued Aug. 20, 1991. This patent discloses the use of a hollow outer needle or tube in which an anchor and pusher tube are received. A suture extends through the pusher tube and anchor. Force is applied against a trailing end of the anchor by the pusher tube to move the anchor through the hollow outer needle or tube into body tissue. Other known anchors for use in securing a suture in body tissue are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,176,682 issued Jan. 5, 1993, U.S. Pat. No. 4,968,315 issued Nov. 6, 1990 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,330 issued May 3, 1988.
An improved suture anchor has a polygonal cross-sectional configuration with an outer side which is formed by a plurality of flat side surface areas which are interconnected by outer corner portions. The anchor has a passage formed by a plurality of flat inner side surface areas which are interconnected by a plurality of inner corner portions. A suture is engageable with one of the inner corner portions to urge an outer corner portion of the anchor into engagement with body tissue. A groove may be provided in the end and/or outer side of the anchor to receive the suture.
A plurality of anchors having the configuration of the improved anchor described above or a different configuration may be used to anchor a suture. When a plurality of anchors are used, the suture is inserted through each of the anchors and the anchors are sequentially moved into the body tissue. As a leading anchor is moved into the body tissue, the suture is tensioned to move a corner portion on the leading anchor into engagement with the body tissue. A connector may be provided between each anchor.